The Brother-in-Law
by chawk1993
Summary: *ONE-SHOT**Set AFTER Lion King 2* Now adults, Kion and the Lion Guard return to the Pridelands to find things have changed. Kion reunites with Kovu who is now his sister Kiara's mate and his new brother-in-law. Kion doubts his leadership, believing he is like his great-uncle Scar. Will Kovu be able to make Kion see what his friends see?


**A/N:** _Hi Lion King fans. I had the idea for this after watching the first two episodes of the Lion Guard. Since it has been announced that Kovu, Vitani and Nuka will appear in at least one episode of the show at the moment, I thought I'd create some explanation as to why Kion and the mention of the Lion Guard isn't in Lion King 2. Yes, I know the second film was released in 1998, four years after the original so the Guard and Kion didn't exist._

 _Remember, for anyone that has seen the Lion Guard, the events of the show take place between the final scenes we see of Kiara's childhood and the first scenes of her adult years. Most people believe that Kion died, leaving Kiara as Simba and Nala's only living child but I don't think that's the case. If the people at Disney are smart, they would have come up with an explanation to Kion's absence._

 _Also, before Kion came into existence, some book company decided to write a series of books based on the theory that the cub that Rafiki holds up at the end of the original film isn't a girl but a boy as some of the material released with the Lion King film say that the cub is a boy. The books were NOT written by anyone associated with Disney and they had no idea that the character of Kopa existed when Lion 2 was being made._

 _The filmmakers didn't think the film was going to be as successful as they'd thought so they left the gender of the cub up in in the air for fans to decide. These books I mentioned earlier told the story of Kopa, Simba and Nala's son who is older then Kiara. I read somewhere that Kion is inspired by Kopa and that Kion is Kiara's ONLY official sibling. I wrote this story to the actual Disney Lion King timeline so Kopa doesn't exist in this story._

 _The idea of this was that in the upcoming episode of the Lion Guard, Kovu and Vitani will actually meet Kion or at least interact with someone close to him so they would have some knowledge of him which is where this story comes in to set up the events after Lion King 2._

 _Enjoy The Brother-in-Law._

* * *

 **The Brother-in-Law**

* * *

Kion was relieved to be home. It had been a long while since he and his friends had seen his parents and sister. He could sense wasn't quite right. As he looked around, he could see that the ground had been bee scorched by fire.

"What happened here?" Ono asked as he looked around.

"I don't know," Kion shook his head, his now fully-grown mane gently blowing in the breeze. "I get a sense that something has gone down since we've been gone."

Beshte, Fuli and Bunga looked at each other.

"Come on guys, let's get home."

Kion led the Lion Guard across the savannah and towards Pride Rock. As they went, they could see new life beginning to grow back. The trees were regaining their leaves and the grass was extra green from the recent rainfall. The smell of death still lingered a little.

"Did someone die here or something?" Bunga coughed.

Fuli threw the Honey Badger a look of displeasure.

"What?" Bunga shrugged.

The others ignored him and kept going.

Finally, they ended up at the base of Pride Rock.

Kion looked up at the massive rock and sighed.

"Everything okay, Kion?" Beshte asked

Kion looked down at the ground before turning to look at his hippo friend. "I haven't been home in so long, Beshte. I left because things were getting to difficult with Kiara and her training to be queen and whatnot. What have I ever been good for? I'm the king's second-born child and I was given the responsibility of leading the Lion Guard. Maybe Scar had a point. Maybe being the second-born isn't as great as it's supposed to be."

The other members of the Lion Guard looked at each other.

"You're a great leader, Kion," Ono said wisely. "You are nothing like Scar was. Power has never gone to your head the way it did Scar's."

"Yeah," Bunga agreed. "From the stories my uncles have told me about Scar, he was evil. You aren't evil, Kion."

"They're right," Fuli said in spite of herself. "You're even better then Scar and know when enough is enough. When the time comes, Kiara will be proud to call you, her little brother, leader of the Lion Guard. You'd never even consider overthrowing her."

Kion pondered on his friends' kind words. They were right. He was better then Scar had been. He knew Kiara, despite her constant annoyance of him, was proud of him and loved him. He even knew his parents were proud of him. "You guys are right," the prince said at last. "My family are proud of me. I am not my great-uncle."

The Lion Guard nodded allowing Kion to smile.

" _Kion?"_

The group turned to see a young lion watching them with interest. He was brown, had a black mane and a scar across his eye.

He looked like Scar but Kion had the feeling that he and his lion had met before. He squinted when suddenly, something registered. "Kovu?"

Kovu nodded.

"I can't believe it's you. What are you doing here?" Kion asked in disbelief.

Kovu grinned. "I think things will explain themselves up on the rock. Come on." He turned and started up the path that led to the royal family's home.

Kion looked back at his friends, puzzled.

"What was that about?" Fuli asked.

"I don't know," Kion said as he watched Kovu's retreating back. "Let's find out."

The group made their way up the path, hurrying after Kovu.

Upon reaching the top, the group was greeted by Timon and Pumbaa.

"Bunga!" Timon cried, upon seeing his adoptive son.

"Uncle Timon, Uncle Pumbaa." Bunga ran to hug them.

"Thank goodness you're safe." Pumbaa said in relief. He looked to the others. "We just glad that you lot weren't around when The Outlanders attacked."

"There was an attack by the Outlanders?" Kion said in alarm.

"Don't worry, kid," Timon said. "We won. We even gained some allies."

A moment later, Kiara and Kovu emerged from the family cove.

"Kion!" Kiara hurried over to embrace her brother.

"Kiara." Kion said as he embraced his older sister.

"Look at you little brother," Kiara beamed as she pulled away. "All grown up."

"I was about to say the same thing about you." Kion said, teasingly.

Kiara looked over at the rest of the Lion Guard. "Look at you all," she smiled. "All grown up."

The Lion Guard looked please at the princess' praise.

" _Kion!"_ came the all too familiar voices of Simba and Nala.

"Mom, dad." Kion leapt over to embrace his parents.

"Look at you, son," Nala smiled. "You are the spitting image of your father."

"He is, isn't he?" Simba said.

Kion puffed out his chest, proudly.

"Like father, like son." Said Vitani as she joined Kovu and Kiara.

"Vitani? Is that you?" Ono asked.

"The one and only." Vitani smiled.

"Why are Kovu and Vitani here?" Kion asked Simba and Nala.

The couple looked at each other.

"The Outlands are no more," Kiara said. "I suspect you all ready know about the battle."

"Yeah," Kion said, turning to his sister. "What happened while we were gone?"

"Zira." Vitani said as she and Kovu stepped forward and sat.

"Who's Zira?" Bunga asked, looking at his uncles.

"Our mother," Kovu said. "She was a follower of Scar. She raised me to Scar's successor despite the idea that I was the youngest of her three cubs."

Kion looked around. Where was Nuka? "Where is Nuka? I thought he'd be with you."

"Guess again," Vitani muttered. She raised her voice a little bit. "He died after being crushed by logs while trying to pursue Simba. He was trying to show Zira that he was worth something." Vitani shook her head.

"Oh, sorry." Kion said sincerely.

"It's okay," Kovu said. "Nuka was an idiot who was too invested in Zira's plan to avenge Scar."

"She sounds like a creeper." Bunga snorted. "No offense."

Kovu chuckled. "I was only worth anything to Zira because Scar hand picked me to his heir even though he wasn't even my father."

"But you look so much like him." Fuli said, thinking about to the painting on the wall in the Lion Guard lair.

"I get that a lot," Kovu sighed. "Sure, I might look like him, but I am not him. Zira never loved me or Vitani or Nuka even though we were her children."

"So, you _aren't_ Scar's children?" Beshte asked.

"No." Simba said stepping forward and sitting back down. "Nala and I would never have allowed Kovu to be Kiara's mate if that were the case."

Kion was taken aback. He looked between his sister and his new brother-in-law. "You two? Seriously?"

Fuli and Ono exchanged amused looks.

"Yep," said Kiara, nuzzling Kovu. "A lot has changed little brother, since you were last here."

Kion dropped his head. "I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry, I deserted the pride."

"It wasn't your fault, Kion," Simba said gently. "We understand why you left." Simba looked over at the other members of the Lion Guard. "Why all of you left."

Bunga looked over at his uncles. "You aren't mad I left?"

"We could never be mad at you, Bunga," Pumbaa said gently. "We just want to understand what you were going through."

Timon nodded in agreement. "Yeah, kid. Pumbaa's right. We went through the same thing with Simba." The meerkat looked over at Simba who nodded. "He didn't want a lot of responsibility and he was conflicted. Finally, he realised that being king was his calling and decided to take on Scar and he won."

It was clear that Timon wasn't usually the one to dish out fatherly advice. That was normally Pumbaa's area of expertise.

Bunga looked over at Kion who looked at him sadly.

With a heavy sigh, Kion walked towards the ledge of Pride Rock.

* * *

Kion sat watching the sun dip below the horizon. His family and friends had gone to sleep, but he had remained wide-awake. He couldn't believe he had actually thought that returning home was such a good idea. He loved his parents and his sister but the Pridelands had changed in the time he had been gone. His sister had grown up to the point that she was now mated and was even closer to becoming queen.

Thinking back to his childhood with Kiara before she had become serious, she had actually been fun to hang around. Kion remembered how they use to run around the den of a mid-morning and laugh about anything and everything. Come to think of it, his childhood had been carefree… almost.

" _Everything okay?"_

Kion turned to see Kovu walking towards him. He kept his head down. "Life's not fair." he once Kovu had sat beside him.

Kovu chuckled. "I use to think the same thing when I was your age."

"You did?" Kion asked.

Kovu nodded. "Yeah. My childhood wasn't exactly the greatest seeing as I grew up with a power-hungry mother who wanted me to assassinate your dad and takeover where Scar left off. I often doubted myself and somewhere deep down I knew I couldn't kill your dad. I tried, I really did but there was a part of me that just.., couldn't."

Kion frowned. "What does this have to do with me?"

"A lot, Kion. You doubt your abilities as a leader."

"In some small way I always knew I wasn't cut out to lead, well, anything or anyone."

"That's not exactly true," Kovu said prompting Kion to look at him in puzzlement. "From what Kiara and your father have said, you are a great leader."

Kion snorted. "They only say that because they're my sister and father."

"You'll find others will say the same thing," Kovu thought for a moment. "If I recall from earlier, your friends all said that you were a great leader. Timon, Pumbaa and Zazu all say the same thing."

Kion stared out at the horizon. "I have been leading the Lion Guard since I was young and I always had some self-doubt and I always feared the power would go to my head like it went to Scar's. I've tried so hard not to use my roar unless I have to but everyone says to use it for everyday things that can be done without it. I feel… pressured."

"Have you always felt pressured in wanting to use it?" Kovu inquired.

Kion looked at him, guiltily and nodded.

"Ah." Was all Kovu said before the moment became silent.

The brothers-in-law sat for what seemed like forever.

"I know this is only our second meeting but I can relate to you." Kovu said after a moment of pondering.

"You do?" Kion asked.

"Yep. We're both the youngest child of our parents. We've both been pressured into things that we don't see as our true destiny."

Kion smirked. "I've always wanted a big brother."

Kovu laughed and nudged him. "Well, to be honest, I've always wanted a little brother. Sure, Nuka was my _big_ brother but I always wondered what it would be like to have a little one. Kiara's lucky to have you as hers."

Kion felt better. He was beginning to realise that maybe, just maybe, having a former Outlander as a brother-in-law wasn't going to be so bad. "I love being the leader of the Lion Guard but the reason I ran was because I feared I would become Scar. I didn't want my friends to follow me but they joined me anyway. I wish they hadn't but the past is what it is. I can't change it."

Kovu nodded. "I understand that."

"No you don't."

"You'll find I do."

"I'm not use to talking to anyone about my problems. I know this might sound weird but I often seek the guidance of my grandfather."

"Mufasa?"

"How'd you know?"

Kovu gave him a knowing smile. "My mother often gave me royal history lessons. She went as far back as your great-grandparents. She liked to be thorough."

"Clearly." Kion laughed at Kovu's tone.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just, you remind me of myself. Did you ever think you'd end up as a Prince Consort?"

"Never," Kovu shook his head. "I always thought that I'd be only Scar's heir, hell bent on avenging him. I never thought I'd fall in love with Simba's daughter." He allowed himself to smile. "I didn't think I'd gain a little brother out of it either."

Kion looked up, grateful. "We're brothers, now, huh?"

"I guess we are."

There was another pause but this time, it was more comfortable.

"Tell me something," Kion said. Kovu looked at him, his eyebrows raised. "Have you ever played Baobab ball?"

Kovu smiled before shaking his head.

"I use to play with Bunga all the time. I remember Kiara telling me when we were younger that you weren't taught to play around when you were a cub."

"That's right, unfortunately," Kovu sighed. "Kiara taught me how to have fun with Timon and Pumbaa's help, of course."

"Oh yes. Timon and Pumbaa are all about fun. Hence Bunga's love of fun."

"What is it with Bunga anyway?" Kovu asked with interest. "Is he always hyperactive?"

Kion laughed again. "He's always been the playful one. He gets it from Timon and Pumbaa."

"How did a honey badger end up adopted by a warthog and a meerkat?" Kovu questioned.

"It's a bit of a long story."

"Story for another time?"

"Yeah."

"Do you think we could be more then brothers?" Kovu asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, like, we could help each other out. More like… friends. I could help you with the Lion Guard and you could help me on… stuff."

"Like trying to woo my sister?"

"She already loves me. What's the harm in trying to woo her more?"

Kion shuddered. Romance had never been his strong point. The only close thing to a love interest he'd had had been Jasiri the female hyena who had shown him that not all hyenas were bad and maybe even Fuli but she was more like a sister to him.

The pair chuckled.

"We'll see how things go, shall we?" Kovu smiled.

"I cannot believe I am actually going to say this but, one day, you and Kiara are going to make great parents."

"Thanks. Just don't tell Kiara that." Kovu winked.

"I wouldn't dream of it. She already has it out for me for simply being born."

By this time, the sun had completely fallen behind the horizon and the stars were just starting to make themselves known.

"Let's head inside, hey?" Kovu suggested.

Kovu rose and allowed Kion to get a head start.

The pair entered the den just moments later to find that Timon and Pumbaa were already asleep while Bunga lay tucked up between his uncles. He might have grown but he was still small in comparsion to other honey badgers.

Simba looked up just as Kovu and Kion entered. He smiled as the pair continued to chat as they sat down beside Kiara who looked pleased that her brother and mate were getting to know each other. Vitani, who was nearby, got up and joined the small group.

"Looks like Kion's made a new friend." Nala said with a smile.

"Looks like it," Simba agreed. "We did the right thing, didn't we? Allowing Kovu, Vitani and the other lionesses back into the Pridelands."

Nala looked at the younger lions and smiled. "I think we did. Look at how Kovu and Kion are getting on."

Simba was thoughtful for a moment. "I think you've known each other a while."

"How do you mean?" Nala asked.

"No sure but I have a sneaking suspicion that the guard either ended up in the Outlands at some point or Kovu, Vitani and Nuka ended up the Pridelands at some point. I don't know and honestly," Simba paused and watched the youngsters for a moment. "I don't think it matters. Kovu's family now. So is Vitani. I think we were all wrong to judge the young Outlanders. The older ones we were right to be cautious of by the younger ones were raised in the Outlands. They didn't know any better."

Nala nuzzled Simba. "You made your point, Simba," she said gently. "You're right. We shouldn't have judged the young ones because of their parents. Or rather, Zira's influence. We should have given them a chance of their own."

Simba nodded in agreement. "Look at how quickly Vitani and Kovu have settled into life in the pride."

Nala snorted. "Kovu settled in quicker then Vitani because he's in love with our daughter."

"True. Reminds me of us, actually." Simba said looking over to see Kion laughing softly, being careful not to wake Timon, Pumbaa and Bunga.

"And Timon and Pumbaa." Nala added.

Simba chuckled as he laid down beside her, his eyes slowly drifting shut as the sound of Pumbaa and Bunga's snores.

The rest of the pride had settled down and were slowly drifting off to sleep.

Finally, Kovu, Kion, Kiara and Vitani laid down staring at each other, too wired for sleep. They had had enjoyed their before sleep chat while Kovu and Kion were much too wired to even close their eyes.

They had gotten to know each other well this evening. They knew there would be more time to get to know each other better for now, it was time to dream of the future of pride.

* * *

 _Aww! Kion and Kovu are bonding! I hope you all enjoyed. This is a one-shot and WILL NOT be updated._


End file.
